i’m a risk-taker

I know that people think I’m uptight, and in keeping with my neurotic tendencies, I felt the need to reflect on this…

Do people think I’m uptight because I can’t handle loud noise, I prefer the conservative nature of the East Coast, and I like my kid to be sitting still at a restaurant instead of running around driving other patrons crazy?

Do people think I’m uptight because I prefer to eat at certain, pre-determined times of the day, I don’t like to snack, and I feel compelled to exercise in 15-minute intervals (e.g. I’d rather die than get off the treadmill after only 27 minutes)?

Maya used sticky sticks to do this on the living room wall. For a change I shut down my uptight tendencies and appreciated her artwork instead. I made it a whole 2 weeks before I crumbled.

Maybe they think I’m uptight because I don’t drink, I can barely handle a cup of decaf, and I’m very particular about…well, just about everything.

Okay, so maybe I’m a bit uptight. But I’ve been working on this for a while now and I feel like I’m making progress! Just yesterday I not only ate non-organic grapes and what was likely farmed shrimp from Vietnam, but I also had lunch at 1:23 pm and walked across the street on a solid red hand.

If that isn’t progress I don’t know what is.

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Ohh boy this post makes me feel so much better about my anal tendencies! I can’t get off the treadmill on a non-even number….even if it means walking til I hit a round figure! Girrrl you are craaay-zee, lunching at 1.23 pm and all! Hahah don’t worry, my friend, you aren’t alone!

Everyone has their own quirks. I don’t know why but I always have to put my socks on my left foot first then the right. The same way with my sneakers. If I start to put them on the right first, I actually stop and start over. Too Weird!! I’ll have to think about some of my other quirky weirdnesses and share. I suppose I should know them better!! Your quirks are part of your personality!!

You wild woman you!!! :). I am pretty structured/anal myself but I have definitely loosened up as I have gotten older and realized that the world isn’t going to stop spinning if I skip a workout or I don’t have everything planned out ahead of time.

We are very very similar indeed; the thing is you own up to it; I feel like I tend to make excuses for my uptighted-ness: I can’t handle loud noises, I hate the idea of snacking/eating at off times, I can’t stand slow walkers/slow people in general, etc. Oh dear.

Great progress Ameena. 😉 But rememeber, only change if it makes you happier! Ie. if a neurosis is affecting you in a negative way change it, but don’t drink caffeinated coffee for anyone else! I know I won’t, I would have 20 panic attacks in 20 minutes, caffeine is not my friend.

Okay so we have our differences (my closet will never see shoes as nice as yours), but I am realizing how alike we are after reading this. I too have to exercise in increments of 15, and I don’t drink, and only now am venturing back into restaurants with the kids. I don’t appreciate any loud kids while I am eating (I would actually enjoy dinner more without the kids, but then we couldn’t call it family dinner).

And as adorable as the artwork is, 2 weeks is a long time to have left it there. I am not sure I would have lasted that long.

And if you ever came to Temecula we would eat at an even time, I would serve healthy homemade organic food, and of course the kids would eat outside. I would be so lucky to have you all as dinner guests. I would probably make you talk a lot so that you could entertain me though.

Dude, next thing you know, you’ll be wearing sweats to the store. I’m not sure I support this downward spiral 😉 Oh, and I know you’ll appreciate this. Last night, I went to the grocery store and while paying, realized I had dried spit up all over my shoulder. How far we’ve come 🙂

We would get along so very well. CD hates loud noises – can’t even be in the kitchen when I unload the dishwasher. Sometimes I wish he was hard of hearing, but I do appreciate it when he’s watching football and keeps the volume turned down…can’t stand a loud TV blaring in the background.

Its ok Ameena, we can be uptight together. Everyone else can go ahead and eat dinner at 9pm with their children running around and driving everyone else crazy. I’d rather be uptight than a pain in the ass. 🙂

I’m so glad I’m not the only one. I can only workout in multiples of 15 minutes, if I step on the edge of a tile with my right foot, I need to do the same with my left foot, I need my evening snack biscuits in even numbers, I send my husband emails with step by step instructions for vaccumming… I could go on! Instead I will say, “HI FIVE AMEENA!!!”

I like cardio to be a multiple of five (20, 25, 30 minutes, etc.). I’m also a big rules girl, and I find that when I don’t follow the rules, it bites me in the butt (even though other people seem to get away with rule-breaking just fine). But good for you for walking on the wild side 😉

I think if you moved to NYC, you would have a love-hate relationship with the city. I do at times. it is so freakin’ loud, the only time I don’t mind it is when i go clubbing and i bet you hate it. 🙂 omg, how do you eat at fixed times and not snack? I love my jalapeno popppers with tea, or a piece of dessert after dinner.

Uptight? Says who!? I mean, crossing at a RED hand is living on the edge. Seriously. I don’t joke. In Madrid it’s a little red man. You can die if you don’t follow the strict red/green rules. I have seen way too many near death experiences. Eat the grapes… but please, wait for the green hand.

Not anal, wellll just a bit. Anal makes me comfortable, all the mugs have to have their handles in the same direction, the towels on the rail have to have the fold pointing the same way. All my shoes are kept in boxes and my clothes are hung in colour groups, all reds together blues etc and from light to dark. We all have our OCD moments. BTW The stick writing is gorgeous.

I am the most disorganized , organized kind of a person. I pull it all together in the last moment. With the kind of precision clockwork that you mentioned in your post, I would be a nervous wreck well before it’s actually time. But I appreciate this discipline because it really sorts out life in the way you want it, unlike mine 😦

Aww…I LOVE that “I love you Mom” even if it was on the wall. Sometimes reading your blog is like someone reading my mind and writing everything out for me. I think there comes a time in every mother’s life where we finally realise that our kids may be the cure to our uptightness. For me, it’s many many times. It all started with the first time K spat food all over my face. Now we’re at about the same place as you. My walls have become an art gallery. Sigh.

I adore this post. I can definitely relate to it — while I’m not even remotely update, I am super OCD, and there is definitely some overlap. I HATE loud noise and large numbers of people. You know what I especially hate? When I am in a public place (e.g., the subway, an elevator, the gym, the grocery store) and people around me (sometimes multiple people at the same time) are playing their music loud enough for me to hear THROUGH their headphones. I think this is pretty much one of the rudest things that people in the 21st century do. Seriously, it’s like borderline sinful. Music is a personal choice. You should not subject those around you to your personal music choices. Ever. Unless you’re at a party/bar, obviously, or a store or gym where there is SOFT music playing over the loudspeakers. It is unacceptable to play your headphones so loudly that those around you can hear. I feel like some people would say this is super uptight of me, but I have a feeling you’ll agree with me on this one. 🙂

PS — thanks so much for voting for LGR! We won our category and have secured at least a $125,000 grant (we have a shot at $1M!).

You and I are pretty similar!! I’m neurotic about the same things. Want to keep me up for days? Switch my tea with coffee, I’m like a bee on crack. I can’t sit down. And if I miss a meal time or I have to eat later? Yikes…

I don’t think YOU think you are uptight. Preferences and knowing what you like and what you are willing to compromise on (HMMMM….let’s look at so many of your other daughter/husband/traffic themes posts) is a character strength…not a flaw

I think your fantastic. I aspire to be as grounded and fabulous as you. Your little one is adorable. PS: Love that u keep Maya quiet at a restaurant, nothing worse than a rat bag kid when your trying to enjoy a meal. 🙂

I dont think you are uptight. Every person has some different neurotic tendencies but they differ from person to person. Some people love cleaning can not tolerate a single particle of dust while others can’t be late. Its so normal.

Visiting for the first time. I love the fact that you are an exercise freak too! With a boy friend who hates working out within four walls (he prefers outdoor games over gymming), I get so bored going to gym alone. I love running.. I can go on and on for about 40 -45 min.. I guess we share similar interests.. visiting your blog was fun.. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a link to your profile. I am glad! You have a reader in me 🙂

“Just yesterday I not only ate non-organic grapes…” -hahaha this line made me laugh out loud
I’m extremely uptight about a lot of things, but I think one of my best skills is giving off the appearance of being laid-back.
Maya’s so cute!

so i had the same issue when i use to go to the gym. but the wall art? i dont know if i could handle it on the wall longer than 5 minutes. i’d sweet talk my kid to transferring it to paper, but two weeks? you’re a strong lady 😉

So, it’s funny because I actually think that I am TOTALLY a risk-taker, not uptight at all and love to live life as it comes. However, when I actually look at my habits, that is so not the case. Major example: I start work officially at 8:15 every day. However, if I’m not here an hour beforehand, I go a little loopy. Talk about rigid.
Don’t even let my husband get started with my food/kitchen quirks.
I do like the wall art – very cute!